ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3086" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV align=center> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=773 align=center bgColor=#ffffff border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD><FONT face=Arial><IMG alt="" src="http://www.mbtaonline.org/eupdate_mast.jpg" border=0 width="773" height="174"></FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV> <TABLE style="BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(0,0,153) 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: rgb(0,0,153) 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,0,153) 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,0,153) 1px solid; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=773 align=center bgColor=#ffffff border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top width=180 bgColor=#ffffcc><FONT face=Arial size=2>&nbsp; <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width=158 align=center border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD>&nbsp;</TD> <TD><FONT color=#000099 size=2>June 7, 2007</FONT></TD></TR> <TR> <TD>&nbsp;</TD> <TD>&nbsp;</TD></TR> <TR> <TD>&nbsp;</TD> <TD align=left><FONT color=#000099 size=2><STRONG>UPCOMING MBTA EVENTS</STRONG></FONT></TD></TR> <TR> <TD>&nbsp;</TD> <TD><BR> <DIV align=left><STRONG><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2>Transportation Bond Vote</FONT></FONT></FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2>Tuesday, June 12</FONT></FONT></FONT><STRONG><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2> <BR></FONT></FONT></FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV align=left><STRONG><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT></STRONG>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV align=left><STRONG><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2>Washington County Meeting</FONT></FONT></FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2>Thursday, June 14</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2>Eastport Chowder House </FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2>Eastport</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2>&nbsp;</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT size=2>5 p.m. </FONT><BR></FONT><BR></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2><STRONG>Infrastructure Golf Tournament</STRONG> </FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2>Thursday, July 12 <BR>Augusta Country Club</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2>9 a.m. <EM><BR><BR></EM></FONT><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2>Aroostook County Meeting</FONT></FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2>&nbsp;</FONT></FONT><FONT size=2>Thursday, August 2 <BR>Northeastland Hotel, Presque Isle</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2>5 pm <BR><BR></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2><STRONG>Fall Convention</STRONG> </FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT size=2>&nbsp;</FONT></FONT><FONT size=2>Friday, September 14-16 <BR>Samoset Resort, Rockport <BR><EM><BR></EM><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><EM>Visit our <A href="http://www.mbtaonline.org/events.htm"><FONT color=#000099>events page</FONT> </A>for more information...<BR></EM></FONT></DIV> <P align=left><FONT color=#000099 size=2>For more information, contact the MBTA at (207) 622-0526</FONT></P> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></FONT><FONT face=Arial>&nbsp;</FONT></TD> <TD vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV align=center><FONT size=2>&nbsp;</FONT> <TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate" cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=8 width="100%" align=left border=0> <TBODY> <TR align=middle> <TD vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff> <P align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#000099 size=5>LD 1790  the only plan to fix Maine s transportation funding crisis</FONT></P></TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV align=center>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial> <DIV><FONT size=2>The Maine Legislature will soon consider a pioneering piece of legislation created by MBTA and sponsored by Senator Dennis Damon (Hancock County).&nbsp; <I>L.D. 1790, An Act to Secure Maine s Transportation Future</I>, sets goals to modernize our interstate system, reconstruct our arterial highways and major collectors, and replace, remove, and rehabilitate extraordinary bridges.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><B><I><U><FONT color=#000099>What does LD 1790 do?</FONT></U></I></B></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>For the first time, the Legislature has been asked to set comprehensive measurable goals to guide transportation capital investment.&nbsp; What makes this legislation groundbreaking is that the goals are supported by two financing mechanisms created under the Maine Municipal Bond Bank:</FONT></DIV> <UL> <LI><FONT size=2>GARVEE bond authority, financed by FHWA receipts, to reconstruct, rehabilitate or replace bridges and arterials;<BR></FONT> <LI><FONT size=2>A new TransCap Trust Fund grant and loan authority to advance the same goals but funded with dedicated streams of both General Fund and Highway Fund revenue.</FONT></LI></UL> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>The revenue dedicated to the TransCap Fund includes:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <UL> <LI><FONT size=2>Reallocated highway funds through a gradual reduction of Highway Fund support for the State Police.&nbsp; [A legislative oversight office, OPEGA, issued a report in February indicating the Highway Fund has been paying far more than its fair share of the State Police. The General Fund, which had a 7.8% increase to its budget, should pay its fair share].<BR></FONT> <LI><FONT size=2>Transferred Highway Fund dollars equal to 7.5% of motor fuel tax revenues;<BR></FONT> <LI><FONT size=2>Modest registration fee increases, some of which have not been adjusted in nearly 20 years;<BR></FONT> <LI><FONT size=2>A phased-in set-aside of General Fund revenues equal to 20% of transportation-related sales tax receipts.<BR></FONT> <LI><FONT size=2>New revenue set aside in the STAR account to support alternate modes of transportation, including current auto rental tax receipts and 10% of the transportation-related sales tax set-aside. This stream of revenue could total $12 million per year.</FONT></LI></UL> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Each of these revenue streams would flow to the TransCap Trust Fund as of July 1, 2009 and would eventually total $98 million per year.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><B><I><FONT size=2></FONT></I></B>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><B><I><U><FONT color=#000099>Why is LD 1790 so important?</FONT></U></I></B></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Maine has a highway funding crisis, and LD 1790 is the only vehicle that develops a plan to address the crisis.&nbsp; There has been a great deal of discussion about the need, the problem, and the inflation that has crippled costs, but LD 1790 is the only vision put forward to address the crisis.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>The Transportation Committee recently voted out the Highway Fund budget, LD 781, with a unanimous vote. <U>The budget reduces capital spending for the biennium by $28.5 million (from $96 million to $67.6 million)</U> meaning this next biennial budget will fund even fewer projects than the current budget  even before you factor in inflation. Clearly, this will put the state even further behind in meeting our needs, so something needs to be done.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>LD 1790 is an important step toward a long-term solution to Maine s transportation funding crisis. Again, <U>it is the only effort underway that works to establish a stable source of funding for Maine s transportation network</U>. <BR><BR><STRONG>We ask all MBTA members to contact their legislators and encourage them to support the majority vote of the Transportation Committee on &nbsp;LD 1790. </STRONG><U>It is time for Maine to have a comprehensive, long term, transportation capital investment strategy backed by the financial resources necessary to make it happen</U>. &nbsp;<BR><BR><STRONG>Let your legislators know how the transportation funding crisis has affected you</STRONG>. &nbsp;Below is a link to find your legislators, as well as the phone numbers at the State House. If you are a constituent, you should always feel free to contact your legislators at home, too. </FONT><A title=blocked::http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=851756221&amp;msgid=3641943&amp;act=6VBF&amp;c=14114&amp;admin=0&amp;destination=http://janus.state.me.us/house/townlist.htm href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=851756221&amp;msgid=3641943&amp;act=6VBF&amp;c=14114&amp;admin=0&amp;destination=http%3A%2F%2Fjanus.state.me.us%2Fhouse%2Ftownlist.htm"><FONT size=2>Find your legislator</FONT></A><FONT size=2>.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000099><B><I><U>State House Phone Numbers</U></I></B><B><I><U>:</U></I></B></FONT><B><U><BR></U></B><FONT size=2>&nbsp;<BR>Message line for House members: 1-800-423-2900<BR>Message line for Senate members:1-800-423-6900</FONT></DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></FONT></DIV></TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#000099 size=4>Reminder:&nbsp; June 12<SUP>th</SUP> is Election Day  Vote YES on #1</FONT></DIV></TD></TR> <TR> <TD vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On Tuesday, Maine citizens will vote on two bond issues, the first one being the $112.9 million transportation bond on the statewide ballot.&nbsp; Turnout on Tuesday is expected to be extremely low, and is sure to draw citizens who are concerned about government spending, so it is crucial that supporters get to the polls on Tuesday and encourage their friends and family to <U>Vote YES on #1</U>.&nbsp; Passage of Question #1 is critical to funding MaineDOT s two-year capital work plan, a plan that restores some of the $200 million in projects cut over the past two years.&nbsp; If the bond fails, the state will get even further behind in keeping pace with its needs. Question #1 leverages over $250 million in federal and local funds, and supports 8,000 jobs statewide.&nbsp; For more information, click on &nbsp;</FONT><A href="http://www.keepmainemoving.org/"><FONT face=Arial size=2>www.keepmainemoving.org</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>&nbsp; or call the MBTA at 622-0526.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To vote in a Bangor Daily News online poll on the transportation bond, go to </FONT><A href="http://www.bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=150620&amp;zoneid=500"><FONT face=Arial size=2>BDN poll on Question#1</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thank you!</FONT></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV></TD> <TD vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>&nbsp; </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG><BR></STRONG></FONT></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2 width=773 align=center bgColor=#003366 border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <P align=center><FONT face=Arial color=#003366 size=2><FONT color=#ffffff>For more information, go to the MBTA Web site at: www.mbtaonline.org or call 207-622-0526</FONT>.</FONT> </P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></BODY></HTML>